Friday, November 19

Google Satellite was Right, There's Really a Bridge, But it is Still an Impractical Shortcut

My new commute, known as "v3," got rolling this week. Though almost all of this commute route has been ridden by me many times in the past, looking at maps and satellite photos with fresh eyes revealed some potential route enhancements. One that looked like a shortcut, turned out to be illusory. There was indeed a bridge across a creek that shortened the route between Don Dodson and Bedford. However, as you will note, the bridge, for unknown reasons, included a locked gate in the middle, complete with a sign to let the unwary know that attempting to climb over the fence could be hazardous. Considering that the bridge runs from one street to another, it seems odd that it was blocked off from public use. Perhaps it's some property rights thing or something. Perhaps they just don't like people that don't have a key. I don't know. All I know is not all shortcuts work out. Too bad.
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Shortcut Looked Attractive on Google Maps Satellite View

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The other potential enhancement involved an alley that went behind a small mall. Taking this alley reduces traffic interactions significantly, albeit at a cost of slightly greater travel distance. I've not decided if this alley will become a regular commute route feature, but it is certainly more straightforward than either cutting through a parking lot or dealing with a long stack of cars at a traffic light.

And, I found some more. But I didn't get any photos of those enhancements. The moral of this story is: even a route you know well can sometimes get even better, or at least there are things to try and things to do.

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Context

Subject MatterMostly it's about local transportation cycling, as it exists in the here and now. It's got a smattering of other gratuitous toy recreation thrown in to keep y'all a little off balance. For those that don't know me, toy recreation means English & Italian cars, aircraft - and downhill skiing.